Device for assembly and electrical connection of modular apparatuses such as circuit breakers or similar

• US 5,745,338 A
• Filed: 05/07/1996
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric SA (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric SA (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Reynaud, Francois, Lecorre, Noel, Bartolo, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Gregory D.
• Application Number:
  US08/646,107
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 361/627-631, 361/634, 361/636-640, 361/673, 361/733, 361/735, 361/744, 439/110, 439/116, 439/121, 439/716, 439/891
• US Class Current: 361/637
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/082 Connections between juxtaposed circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/205 for connecting electrical apparatus mounted side by side on a rail

Abstract

The present invention relates to a circuit breaker device for assembly and electrical connection of modular power apparatuses. This device is designed to perform electrical connection of a plurality of power apparatuses, such as circuit breakers, installed together on the same mounting rail with auxiliary units. The set of electrical power apparatuses are electrically connected and/or supplied with power up-line by a connecting comb. This comb is in the form of a bus comprising at least one conducting bar extending generally parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rail and generally perpendicularly to one of the faces of the cases, the bars each being connected to one of the phases or to the neutral. Contact strips of the power apparatuses are electrically and selectively connected up-line to one conducting bar by a connector in the form of double-blades or double-grips, cooperating via one of their ends with the contact strips of the apparatuses and via their opposite ends with the conducting bars.

Claims

1. A circuit breaker device for assembly and electrical connection of a plurality of modular power apparatuses installed on a mounting rail with auxiliary units, said circuit breaker device comprising:

modular cases adjoined by their lateral sides to form a horizontal row;

power apparatuses residing within said modular cases and being electrically connected and/or supplied with power up-line by a common connecting comb in the form of a bus;

at least one conducting bar extending generally parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rail, and generally perpendicular to the lateral sides of said modular cases and facing said comb;

contact strips of each of said power apparatuses being electrically and selectively connected up-line to at least one conducting bar;

connectors, each connector having a first end electrically connected to a contact strip and a second end for engaging a selected conducting bar, whereby the contact strip of each power apparatus forms an end part housed in a groove provided in a face of the modular case;

said groove being open in the direction of the comb, and said end part and groove extend perpendicularly to the at least one conducting bar over virtually the whole height of the common connecting comb to enable a connector to be connected to a contact strip in several positions along said end part, corresponding to a longitudinal position of at least one conducting bar.

2. The circuit breaker device according to claim 1, wherein the comb is located facing the rear upper faces of the modular cases.

3. The circuit breaker device according to claim 1, wherein the above-mentioned end part of the contact strip is formed by a grip housed in the bottom of the groove, said grip being designed to cooperate with an end part in the form of a knife-blade of the connector.

4. The circuit breaker device according to claim 1, wherein the above-mentioned end part of the contact strip is formed by a knife-blade extending perpendicularly to the bars, said knife-blade being designed to cooperate with an end of the connector in the form of a grip.

5. The circuit breaker device according to claim 1, wherein the common connecting comb (or bus) comprises an insulating profiled section formed by a support extending parallel to the surface of the rail and spacers extending perpendicularly to said support, a conducting bar being housed in each space separating two consecutive spacers.

6. The circuit breaker device according to claim 5, wherein the second end of the connectors is formed by a knife-blade and each of at least one conducting bar is securedly united to a flexible blade curved under the conducting bar, the knife-blade being engaged and held between the conducting bar and the flexible blade in the contact position.

7. The circuit breaker device according to claim 5, wherein the second end of the connectors is formed by a grip designed to engage with one of the bars fixed on the above-mentioned support between two spacers.

8. The circuit breaker device according to claims 3 or wherein each connector is formed by two perpendicular knife-blades.

9. The circuit breaker device according to claims 4 or wherein each connector is formed by two grips placed end to end whose gripping forces are perpendicular.

11. The circuit breaker device according to claim 1, wherein said power apparatuses are single and multiple pole as required by contactors, switches and remote-controlled switches, and the auxiliary units comprise at least unit selected from the group consisting of a fault indication SD, a contact position CAOF module, an undervoltage MN or shunt MX trip module, and a differential tripping module.

12. The circuit breaker device according to claim 1, wherein the connectors are integral parts of the end parts of the corresponding contact strips.

13. The circuit breaker device according to claim 11, wherein the connectors are securedly united for example by welding to the end parts of the corresponding contact strips.

10. The circuit breaker device according to claim wherein the first end of the connectors is provided with transverse guiding elements cooperating with a corresponding groove provided in the case in order to improve the positioning of the connector in the case.